Molding-machine.



E. H. VAN NATTA.

MOLDING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 30, 1907;

NUREVL a. mum com PNDTbUYHOGRAFHERS. WASHINGTON. n c.

E. H. VAN-NATTA.

MOLDING MAOHINE.

APPLICATION rum) JAN. 30, 1907.

Patented Nov, 23, 1909.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

lvi tweoow ANDREW, s. GRAHAM co. mommmammzws. wAsumG N. n. a

E. H. VAN NATTA.

MOLDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 30. 1907.

Pathted Nov. 23, 1909.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

ins. WASHGIGYON. n c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ERASTUS H. VAN NATTA, OF BELLEVILLE, KANSAS.

MOLDING-MACHINE.

. and useful Molding-Machine, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates more particularly. to brick or block moldingmachlnes of a well known type.

One of the principal objects of the present invention is to provide inconnection with a movable feed carriage, simple and novel means foreffecting the movement of said carriage, and to furthermore employ thecarriage operating means for moving the agitator employed in connectionwith the carriage.

Another object is to provide novel and.

effective pallet-supporting means, and devices for properly allnlng apallet placed on the means with the table platform or top,

while the molded articles are being deliv ered from the latter to theformer, thus obviating the danger of breaking said articles, which hasheretofore been a serious defect in machines of this character.

A still further object is to provide powerful and simple pressing andejecting mechanism, to provide means for adjusting the same so that thevarious actions will be properly carried out, to provide means that willpermit the molding of ornamental bricks, and to provide feeding meansthat will not become clogged.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is disclosed in theaccompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is an end elevation of themachine. Fig. 2 is aside elevation of the same.

Fi 3 is a to) olan view of the machine.

Fig. 4c is a vertical cross sectional view.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 30, 1907.

Patented Nov. 23, 1909.

Serial No. 354,850.

employed, comprising a platform or top 11 supported on legs 12, the topor platform having one or more molds or mold cavities 13 therein thatopen through its upper surface. Slidably mounted on the platform 11 isa' feed carriage or laterally movable pressure plate lt provided at oneside with an abutment portion 15 that also constitutes means for movingthe molded articles over the platform, as hereinafter described- Thecarriage la is supplied with a feeding hopper comprising a downwardlytapered upper portion 16, and a downwardly flared lower portion 17, thelatter being located within the carriage body, as shown in Fig. 5. Theends of the carriage body or pressure plate are provided with dependinginwardly turned flanges 18 that slidably engage beneath and overhang theside margins of the table, whereby said carriage is interlocked withsaid table. Wear strips or gibs 19 are interposed between the flanges 18and the margins of the table, and are adjusted toward the latter byscrews 20 threaded through the flanges and engaging the under sides ofsaid strips, as illustrated in Fig. at.

Secured to the ends of the table are transverse supporting bars 21 thatproject beyond the sides of said table, and have secured theretolongitudinal horizontal racks 22, these racks thus being located onopposite sides of the table platform, and as shown in Fig. 10 havingspaced teeth 23, the spaces 24 between the teeth being bottomless. Anactuating shaft 25 is journaled on the carriage, and gear wheels 26fixed to said shaft, mesh with the teeth of the racks. An operatingcrank 27 is secured to one end of the shaft 25. Rotatably mounted in theupper or downwardly tapered portion 16 of the hopper, is an agitatorshaft 28 carrying a plurality of stirring blades 29. This shaft projectsbeyond one side of the hopper and carries a gear wheel 30 that is inmesh with one of the gear wheels 26 of the actuating shaft. The upperedge of the hopper, as shown in Figs. 2 and 5, is upwardly andrearwardly inclined.

Secured to the delivery end of the machine, is yieldingpallet-supporting means. As shown, this means preferably consists ofoutstanding arms or brackets 31 secured to the table platform and havingtheir outer terminals upturned, as shown at 32. The upper faces of thearms are provided with recessed seats 33, in which are mounted yieldingtubular pallet supports 34 preferably, rubber hose. The upturnedterminals 32 project above the supports 34 in order to constitute stopsfor a pallet, as 35, placed on the yielding supports 34 with its uppersurface substantially even with the top of the table. Said supports 34are held in place by any suitable means, as for instance, nipples 36engaged in their ends, as shown in Fig. 8. Secured to the abutment end15 of the carriage or pressure plate, are horizontally disposed fingersor guides 37 that rest flat upon the table top or platform, and have ithe under sides of their outer ends beveled or inclined upwardly asshown at 38. The under face of each guide or finger is flush with theunder face of the pressure plate. These fingers are arranged to passbeyond the delivery end of the table, and thus ride upon a pallet placedupon the pallet-sup porting means.

Operating in the molds 13 are plunger plates 39 carried by the upper endof a bifurcated plunger body 40, said body having outstanding supportingbrackets 41 disposed beneath the plunger plates. The plunger body 40 islocated between a pair of standards 42 secured beneath the table andhaving vertical guide slots 43. Guide blocks 44, secured to the oppositesides of the plunger body, operate in the slots, and thereby insure theproper movement of the plungers. Spaced sets of oppositely disposedtoggle links 4546 have their lower ends pivotally mounted as shown at 47to and between the standards 42, said links being pivotally connected,as shown at 48, and the upper links 45 having longitudinal slots 49 intheir upper end portions. These links have their upper ends disposed onopposite sides of the plunger body 40, and pivot pins 50 passing throughthe lower end of the plunger body, are engaged in the slots 49. Apressing lever 51 has a head 52 fulcrumed between its ends, as shown at53 to outstanding ears 54, carried by the standards, and links 55pivotally connected as shown at 56 to the lever head on opposite sidesof the fulcrum 53, are connected to the pivots 48 of the toggle links4546. It will be evident therefore, and particularly by reference to Fig. 4 that if the outer end of the lever 51 is swung downwardly, thelinks will be brought into alinement, thereby raising the plunger body40 and plunger plates 39 with great power. In order to normally hold thelever 51 in its elevated position, a friction leaf spring 57 secured toone of the pivots 47, has a bearing on the other pivot 47, and has africtional bearing at its free end against the lower end of the head 52.In order to determine the lowermost position of the plunger plates 39,and consequently the amount of material permitted in the molds, a stopscrew 58 is threaded into the head 52 of the lever 51, and is arrangedto abut against one of the ears 54. This screw can be securely heldagainst accidental movement by a j am nut 59.

For the purpose of expelling the pressed articles from the molds, anexpelling lever 60 has a yoke head 61 fulcrumed on one of the pivots 47,and the inner end of the yoke head 61, has link connections 62 with thelower end of the plunger head 40. The upward movement of the plungers bythe lever 60 is limited by stop screws 63 threaded through the ends ofarms 64 that project on opposite sides of the plunger head, said screwsbeing arranged to engage the under side of the table.

The operation of the machine may be briefly described as follows. Thematerial to be molded is placed in the hopper 16, the levers 51 and (30are placed in their elevated positions, and the carriage is operated byturning the crank 27 until the lower portion 17 of the hopper is overthe molds. The 111a terial will thereupon gravitate into said molds,after which the crank is turned to effect the movement of the carriageso that the abutment 15 will be over the molds. Thereupon the lever 51is depressed and straightens or alines the toggle links 454G, and raisesthe plungers, pressing the material in the molds against the abutment15. The carriage is now moved still further until the abutment 15 is atone side of the mold, whereupon the lever 60 is depressed. This willcause a still further upward movement of the plungers and the screws 63will stop said plungers with their upper faces flush 4 with the upperface of the platform 11. The movement of the crank 27 is now reversed,whereupon the carriage will be moved in an opposite direction, and theend abutment will move the molded articles from the supported plungersover the table platform. A pallet, as 35, in the meantime has beenplaced upon the yielding supports 34, and the edge thereof will belocated at a slightdistance above the upper face of the plat form 11,but as the carriage moves toward the same, the fingers 37 will ride uponthe upper face of the pallet and force the same downwardly until thefaces are flush and consequently the molded articles will move withoutinterference or jar on to said pallet. The above described operation isthen repeated to form other bricks.

There are a number of important and advantageous features in thismachine. In the first place, simple means, namely, the racks and gearsare provided for moving the carriage, and the racks are open so thatmaterial will not clog therein. Furthermore the actuating means for thecarriage constitutes the means for actuating the agitator. The palletsupport is an important feature, for heretofore great trouble has beenexperienced in providing means that will support or position the palletswith their upper faces in proper alinement with the upper face of theplatfrom, over which the. molded articles are moved. The construction ofthe hopper also obviates a difficulty heretofore encountered, namely thedanger of the material becoming stuck and clogging in the lower portionthereof. The construct-ion of the mold and plunger permits the use offilling blocks, as illustrated at X in Fig. 3 so thatornamentally-shaped blocks may be made in the machine. The plungeroperating means, and particularly the pressing mechanism is verypowerful and simple, and the means for limiting the movements of theplungers is import-ant for the reasons already outlined.

From the foregoing, it is thought that the construction, operation andmany ad vantages of the herein described invention will be apparent tothose skilled in the art, without further description, and it will beunderstood that various changes in the size, shape, and proportion maybe resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any ofthe advantages of the invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a molding machine of the character described, the combination witha mold, of feeding means movable to and from a position over the mold, arack supported alongside the mold, a gear wheel j ournaled on thefeeding means and meshing with the rack, and means for rotating the gearwheel to thereby cause said movement of the feeding means.

2. In a molding machine of the character described, the combination witha mold, of feeding means movable to and from a position over the mold,racks supported along opposite sides of the mold, a shaft journaled onthe feeding means, gear wheels carried by the shaft and meshing with theracks, and means for rotating the shaft.

3. In a molding machine of the character described, the combination witha table having a mold, of a carriage slidably mounted on the table andinterlocked therewith, a feeding hopper mounted on the carriage, rackssecured to the opposite sides of the table, a shaft ournaled on thecarriage, gear wheels fixed to the shaft and meshing with the racks, andan operating crank secured to the shaft.

4. In a molding machine of the character described, the combination witha mold, of feeding means movable to and from a position over the mold,racks supported along opposite sides of the mold and having teeth withbottomless spaces between them, a

shaft journaled on the feeding means, gear wheels fixed to the shaft andmeshing with the racks, and means for rotating the shaft.

5. In a molding machine of the character described, the combination witha mold, of feeding means movable to and from a position over the mold,an agitator movably mounted on the feeding means, and common means formoving the feeding means and operating the agitator.

6. In a molding machine of the character described, the combination witha mold, of feeding means movable to and from a position over the mold,an agitator movably mounted in the feeding means, and means mounted 011the feeding means for moving the same, said means being connected to theagitator for operating it.

7. In a molding machine of the character described, the combinationwithatable, of a mold located therein, a carriage movable on the tableand having a hopper movable into and out of coaction with the mold, arotatable agitator located in the hopper, and means rotatably mounted onthe carriage and engaging the table to move the carriage, said meansbeing geared to the agitator.

8. In a molding machine of the character described, the combination witha table having racks along its opposite sides, of a mold located in thetable, a carriage slidably mounted on and interlocked with the table, ahopper mounted on the carriage and movable into and out of coaction withthe mold, a rotatable agitator journaled in the hopper and having a gearwheel, a shaft journaled on the carriage, means for rotating the shaft,and gears carried by the shaft and meshing with the racks, one of saidgears being also in mesh with the gear of the agitator.

9. In a molding machine of the character described, the combination witha table having a mold, of a feeding carriage slidably mounted on thetable and having inturned flanges that extend beneath the opposite sidemargins of the table, wear strips interposed between the flanges andtable margins, and means carried by the flanges and engaging the stripsfor adjusting them toward the table margins.

10. In a molding machine of the character described, the combinationwith molding mechanism, of a platform over which the molded articles areexpelled, and means for yieldingly supporting an article receivingpallet in line with the platform.

11. In a molding machine of the character described, the combinationwith a table having a platform, of molding mechanism associatedtherewith, means for moving the molded articles over the platform, andyielding pallet supporting means located at one edge of the platform.

12. In a molding machine of the character described, the combinationwith a table having a platform, of molding mechanism associatedtherewith, means for moving the molded articles over the platform, anoutstanding arm projecting from the platform, and a yielding palletsupport mounted 011 the arm.

13. In a molding machine of the character described, the combinationwith a table havin a platform, of molding mechanism associatedtherewith, means for moving the molded articles over the platform, anoutstanding arm projecting from the platform, and a yielding tubularpallet support mount ed on the arm.

14. In a molding machine of the character described, the combinationwith a table hav ing a platform, of molding mechanism associatedtherewith, means for moving the molded articles over the platform, anoutstanding arm projecting from the platform and having a seat in itsupper side, a tubular pallet support engaged in the seat, and nipplesengaging in the ends of the support to maintain the same in the seat.

15. In a molding machine of the character described, the combinationwith a platform, of molding mechanism associated therewith, means formoving the molded articles over the platform, a pallet supportassociated with the platform, and means for alining the upper face of apallet placed on the support with the upper face of the platform.

16. In a molding machine of the character described, the combinationwith a platform, of molding mechanism associated therewith, a carriagemovable upon the platform for moving the molded articles over said platform, a pallet support associated with the platform, and a devicemounted on the carriage and movable over the pallet support for aliningthe upper face of a pallet placed on the support with the upper face ofthe platform.

17. In a molding machine of the character described, the combinationwith a platform, of molding mechanism associated therewith, means formoving the molded articles over the platform, a yielding pallet supportassociated with the platform, and means for alining the upper face of apallet placed on the support with the upper face of the plat form.

18. In a molding machine of the character described, the combinationwith a platform, of molding mechanism associated therewith, a carriagemovable upon the platform for moving the molded articles over the same,spaced yielding pallet supports projecting from one end of the platform,and spaced devices secured to and projecting from the carriage, saiddevices being movable over the pallet supports and having their underfaces operating on the upper face. of the platform, said devicesconstituting means for alining the upper face of a pallet placed on thesupports, with the upper face of the platform.

19. In a molding machine of the character described, the combinationwith a table having a platform, of a mold that opens through theplatform, pressing and expelling means including a plunger operating inthe mold, a reciprocatory carriage slidably mounted on the platform,arms projecting from one end of the platform, yielding pallet supportsmounted on the arms, and outstanding fingers secured to the carriage andmovable beyond the end of the platform having the arms, said fingersengaging a pallet placed on the supports for the urpose of alining theupper face thereof with the upper face of the platform.

20. In a molding machine of the character described, the combinationwith a table having a mold, of pressing and expelling mechanismoperating in the mold, a carriage movably mounted on the table, a feedhopper mounted on the carriage and movable into and out of cooperationwith the mold, said hopper having a downwardly tapered upper portion,the top edge being inclined, and a downwardly flared lower end, anagitator rotatably mounted in the downwardly inclined portion of thehopper, and means for moving the carriage and rotating the agitator.

21. In a molding machine, the combination with a mold, of a plungeroperating therein, a lever for operating the plunger having a head,toggles for the plunger connected to the head, and a leaf springconnected to the pivot of one of the toggles and bearing against thepivot of another toggle and having a sliding engagement with the head ofthe lever to hold the latter in an elevated position.

22. In a brick machine, a table top provided with mold cavities, aplunger therein, a laterally movable pressure plate, and pallet guideson said plate.

23. In a brick machine, a table top provided with mold cavities, aplunger therein, a laterally-movable pressure plate, and pallet guidesprojecting therefrom, the under face of each guide being even with theunder face of the. pressure plate and its outer end inclined upwardly.

24. In a brick machine, a table top provided with mold cavities, aplunger therein, a laterally-movable pressure plate, and means at theedge of the table for yieldingly supporting the pallet with its uppersurface substantially even with the top of the table.

25. In a brick machine, a table top provided with mold cavities, aplunger therein, pallet brackets at the edge of the table top toyieldingly support the pallet, a laterallymovable pressure plate, andlaterally-extending pallet guides secured thereto adapted to engage withthe pallet and force it down until its upper surface is even with thesurface of the table top.

26. In a brick machine, a table provided with mold cavities, a plungertherein, pallet brackets secured at the edge of the table, yieldingmeans in said brackets, whereby the pallet is yieldingly supported, alaterally movable pressure plate, and laterally-extending pallet guides,the under surface of which are even with the bottom of the plate, andthe outer end is upwardly inclined.

27. In a brick machine, a table provided with mold cavities, a plungertherein, a lat erally movable pressure plate, the ends of which overhangthe sides of the table, and gibs therein for holding the bottom of theplate in firm contact with the top of the table.

28. In a brick machine, a flanged table having mold cavities, a plungertherein, a laterally movable pressure plate, the ends of which overhangthe sides of the table, and are recessed for engagement with the flangeson the top, gibs adjustably secured between the flanges of the pressureplate of the table for holding the bottom of the plate in firmengagement with the top of the table.

29. In a molding machine of the character described, the combinationwith a platform, of molding mechanism associated therewith, means formoving the molded articles over the platform, means for yieldinglysupport ing a pallet at the edge of the platform, and means for aliningthe upper face of the pallet with the face of the platform over whichthe molded articles are moved.

30. In a molding machine of the character described, the combinationwith a platform, of molding mechanism associated therewith, means formoving the molded articles over the platform, means for yieldinglysupporting a pallet at the edge of the platform, and spaced fingers orguides that engage over the upper face of the pallet to aline said facewith the face of the platform over which the molded articles are moved.

81. In a molding machine of the character described, the combinationwith a supporting member, of a mold formed therein, a feeding membermovable to and from a position over the mold, a rack carried by onemember, and a gear journaled on the other member and meshing with therack to effect the movement of the feeding member toward and from itsposition over the mold.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have heretoaffixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ERASTUS H. VAN NATTA.

WVitnesses:

W. G. DALLAS,

A. W. SEGERHAMMAR.

